Crowds in the Keys ?

There are a lot more CGs than what you will find in the CG guides. Do a Google search for say "Marathon campgrounds" and then start calling especially the ones without web sites.
I am a fan of the Keys, but not Key West... too many fruits and nuts for my tastes. I do not recommend going to the keys the week before and after bike week at Daytona... way too much noise 24/7. Otherwise I would not worry about the crowds.

We winter in the Keys every year and love it since we are kayakers.

Do not go to the Keys around any holidays!
Route 1, (the overseas highway) which is the only road from Key Largo to Key west is bumper to bumper during that time and Easter time.
Just after the past Christmas and New years it was stop and go for thirty miles.
If you are content to stay in your RV park or state park during those periods you will be fine.
The rest of the winter is great except it might be fairly crowded on the weekends when the people from Miami head here.
This is a fishermens and boaters paradise!

Jack L

In 2010 we camped in the Keys at Bahia Honda State Park. Excellent location and we really enjoyed the park. I don't believe it is big rig friendly.

January thru March is obviously peak season in the Keys - they have the most reliable warm weather in Florida during that period. It gets full, but that is not really crowded - not a lot of trouble getting around and not too bad at restaurants and other attractions - but the RV spots are all taken. The only reasonably priced sites are the State Parks - which are terrific - but reservations book solid 11 months in advance - it is like winning the lottery to get a spot. There are cancellations from time to time, but they are difficult to catch. There are tons of private campgrounds - from top shelf to tired old trailer parks, but those sites are hard to get too, and certainly not cheap. We think it is worth it, as we love boating, beaching, and fishing, and the desert has no appeal to us, but it takes planning and check book if you want to stay 6-8 weeks like we do. Definitely try it once - it is a unique place ...

carmichael wrote:
Be sure and take into consideration that you might not be allowed in some campgrounds in certain areas if your RV is over 10 years old. This seems quite unfair to me but we have known it to be true throughout Florida.

We have done Q many times and love that you find a million plus Prevost camped right next to an old popup! No prejudice there.

My Dp is a 2001 and I have never been turned away anywhere in Florida campgrounds. maybe at the 5 star shuffle board and cocktail hour prevost parks( I am not into either thank you)!

Go to the Keys and actually enjoy it in the spring AFTER spring break, or in the Fall AFTER school starts back. I personally go smack dab in the middle of summer but I am a Floridian and enjoy the sun, the long days and the laid back feel of summer in the Keys when it's just us natives.

After spring break it should quiet down some. My daughter was wanting to go to the Keys for a few days after flying into Miami (Christmas- new Years week no less). I checked on hotel rooms in the upper Keys and they wanted $500-$900/night and there were not many rooms left.

Be sure and take into consideration that you might not be allowed in some campgrounds in certain areas if your RV is over 10 years old. This seems quite unfair to me but we have known it to be true throughout Florida.

We have done Q many times and love that you find a million plus Prevost camped right next to an old popup! No prejudice there.

I've never done Quartzite but there's boating, diving, fishing, swimming, biking, the Duval Crawl and Mallory Square in KW. Comes down to what you like to do.

There is SO much more to the Keys than just Key West. In fact of all of the Keys, Key West is the lowest priority for my wife and I.

If you are very diligent and start well ahead of time, you *might* be able to patch together a number of nights at various state parks in the Keys. A fishing buddy and I did just that 5 years ago. We were constantly on the move, but pulled off a 30 day fishing adventure with very little planning ahead.

Your signature indicates boats - be sure to take one! A shallow draft boat with a wide beam is great for back country flats fishing.

(We've never been to Quartzite although we did stop by the Grand Canyon (and the Smokys) on our way home from the Keys very recently :-) A little detour on our way home to the DC area!)